Spirituality Information |
Mankinds Ten Worst Enemies: #3 Jealousy
Though closely akin and sometimes used synonymously, John Rawls distinguish between jealousy and envy on the ground that jealousy involves the wish to keep what one has, and envy the wish to get what one does not have. Christine Harris, American Scientist Magazine, makes the claim that "Of the human emotions, jealousy is one of the most powerful and painful. And it is deadly: Statistical studies rank jealousy as the third most common motive for murder." Certainly, it was for Abel, Cain's brother. If we meditate upon Cain to try and understand the reason for his digressing to murder, we come to realize that it is the same old tendency we have to look outside ourselves for the cause of our shortcomings. Abel's offering was accepted by God but Cain's was not. In his mind, Abel was accepted and he was rejected and thus, jealousy emerged in response to his distorted perception that he had lost his place with God. Of course, we know that God rejected his offering and not the person, but Cain concocted in his own mind, that God disowned him. It is interesting to note that Cain did not make any inquiries regarding the reason for his offering being rejected. He did not make any offers to rectify the situation. He offers no apology and makes no excuses. Why, because he is not interested in the problem of his offering. He just flies into a jealous rage and kills Abel. There are many Cains committing murderous crimes against their brothers and sisters today. Domestic violence continues to escalate because of disordered thinking. We blatantly refuse to face up to our own imperfections, our own weaknesses, our own failings and disabilities. And so, like Cain we substitute truth and self-admonition for falsehoods and other condemnation. We perceive ourselves as unacceptable. We lack the talent or gifts God did not give to us but did give to our brother or sister. We become jealous of the Abels. The Abels seem to be winners; things seem to work out for them, everything they touch turns to gold. The Abels are successful and bright. Success seems to come naturally to them and others gravitate towards them. They seem to be God's favorites and because of their acceptance, the Cains, succumbing to jealousy and envy, devise their psychological hit list. The Abels must go. Jealousy in this context is the mental and emotional wrestling with the abilities of other people, the capabilities of other people; and the adoration, the affection given to those people from others. Those two nemeses hang out like bosom buddies side by side and when they put their ugly heads together, stir up the jealousy that builds into a kind of hatred that lead ultimately to murder. It is incumbent upon all of us to acknowledge and accept the gifts God has given us. God has equipped us with everything we need to accomplish His will for our lives. If he did not give us certain talents, we do not need them to perform the job He has assigned to us. We need to stop looking at other people and what they can do and look at God and what we can do in His power. Jealous can be a lethal passion. It magnifies trifles and increases doubt and suspicion. "Jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame." Song of Solomon 8:6. The Psalmist asked, "Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?" Proverbs 27:4. There is a fable that tells of a time when the Devil once was crossing the Libyan Desert and met a group of friends tempting a holy hermit. They tried seductions of the flesh, used doubts and fears and so forth, to no avail. The holy man was unmoved. The Devil then stepped forward: Your methods are too crude. Permit me one moment." Going to the hermit, he said, "Have you heard the news? Your brother has been made the Bishop of Alexandria." According to the fable, a scowl of malignant jealousy clouded the serene face of the holy man. Never lose sight of the fact that, "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 1 John 4:4. We pray that God strengthen us against the power of jealousy. Let us so love the Lord with all of our hearts, souls and minds that no unholy emotion subdues the Spirit within. Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, veteran social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach which can be reviewed on her site. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, is expected to be available soon. You are welcome to visit AMEN Ministries: Your Soul's Service Station for reviewing spiritual services being offered, obtain spiritual refreshing and soul edification, browse our newly expanded Stop & Shop Mini Mall or review our recommended books you may want to add to your personal library. Blessings to all!
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
Angels on Assignment Recently it has come to my attention people are noticing Angels popping up in the strangest places. Several years ago you would only hear about Angels at Christmas time 'Peace on Earth' that kind of thing. The Miracle of Lexie Chihuahua I would like to tell you the story of a very special little Chihuahua girl. Her name is Lexie (short for Alexa) and I call her my "grand-puppy. Integrating Soul And Science "Spirit is beyond the void of space. This realm, beyond the void, is not an empty nothingness; it is the womb of creation. Understanding the Gospel of Matthew and Why it Matters - Part 7 Matthew 2:19-23The Return to Nazareth19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,20 saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead."21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. Kindness There is an inherent generosity in the human spirit to be of help, to be of service to others. What is it that makes us decide to be of service. Genetically Predisposed to Faith Have you ever wondered how much faith you really have? If you are like me there have been times in your life when you question how much faith you have: times when you doubt your ability to cope with personal difficulties, and times when the threat of terrorism or natural disasters feels overwhelming. This is the time to strip away your inhibitions and use your imagination to find more faith. The Psychical Research Foundation Karen was the name of the reception person, who sat behind the desk one Saturday morning around noon when I dropped in. I had never heard about them and was actually planning to find the J. Faith Building 101A Let Your Family and Friends Know That You Are A Person of Faith.If you are like my Magic Genie friend Gloriious and I, you may be shy about telling those you love and care about that you are a person of faith. The Truth of Reactions In my life, I have tried to be Good and Pure and True. In these qualities, I have failed miserably. Practical Stress Management -- 7 Spiritual Solutions Stress is amazingly persistent, even seductive. We get usedto feeling tight and tense. You Are What You Think One of the first things you will find that God will start to do with you if you have decided to enter into a true sanctification process with Him is to try and put right thinking into your thought process.What you choose to think about and dwell on in this life will make or break you as to what type of person you will end up becoming in this life. Is America Losing Its Religion? Has America known its finest hour? Are we losing our religion and sanity as well? What is wrong with our society anyway? These are baffling questions that are frequently being asked by more and more people, even the media.From environmental pollution to spiritual pollution, from artificial food to artificial joy - these are the side effects of the pursuit of materialism (a by-product of the American Dream, as we know it). What is the Evil Eye? The Evil Eye has been around since the beginning of time. It simply means sending someone a thought that seems intrusive or invasive or has the power to hurt him or her. Language of Dreams Dreams take us not into ourselves,but out of ourselves. -Richard JonesDreams hold us in fascination. Love and Light Seems that everyone who writes to me signs their letters "love and light." It has such a bright uplifting sound to it. A Crash Course In Tarot For Newbies #1 - All About the Cards The Tarot is not just a divinatory tool, but it can also be utilized in the appropriately trained hands as a tool for providing counsel and advice with which we can navigate life. It is an antique form of divination that predates popular psychology, but has been shown to have archetypal energies that work well from a Jungian perspective. A Meaningful Relationship That is Not Yukky Good morning Roy, good morning JosethWhat about me, were do I fit into your life? Am I just some abstract notion of a superior being or am I a companion, always there always available, always your friend?What do you do with someone that is important in your life? How do you include them in your day to day affairs?That is what I want; I want to be included in your life. I want you to consider me daily. Buddha Never Bowed Before a Statue, and Jesus Never Kneeled Before a Cross, From Divine Source Far to many people have become "followers" rather than BEING and living the messages they hold dear. True spiritual enlightenment comes from one Source; it is the same source that Jesus, Allah, Buddha, and You are connected to. Penthouse or Basement? The Spiritual Realm is Topsy-Turvy Am I dreaming? The sign outside the skyscraper reads: "Spiritual Realm." I hurry straight to the elevator. I Saw An Angel At Work Sometimes you have to see something to believe it. Like angels. |
home | site map | contact us |